Fences have been known throughout history for blocking ingress and egress selectively. Among the best known examples of innovation in this technical field were related to the development of barbed members, which enhanced mechanical barrier functionality of generally taught wire systems with projection arms disposed radially about the wires, orthogonal to an axis running through the center of such wires. Such barbed wires were effective for controlling large groups of animals across vast spaces of territory required, often seasonally, to feed the animals with allowing them to escape from predetermined areas.
Heightened security needs over time have created the impetus for electrifying tubular wires, with and without the barbed extension members. An early example of such disclosures is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,573; issued in July 1987 to Ciordinik, et al. While the basic rudiments of a conducting means, supporting arms and a mounting structure were shown by this patent, tampering with the security function was less challenging than the instant teachings, as the same could be circumvented by intended intruders, and this system also ostensively lacked the gross mechanical fortitude to prevent vehicles from penetrating through a protected perimeter.
Likewise, alternate mechanisms have been contemplated for intrusion detection and/or barrier breach that have yet to address the newly developed and pressing needs in this area. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,806 issued to Willis showed a chain which disclosed an audible alarm responsive to motion proximate to the chain-barrier. While the device of this patent had commercial implications within small fixed areas—such as retail grocery vending establishments, it is not practical to protect larger enclosures or address the needs in substantially larger perimeters.
Similarly, inflatable and deflatable barrier mechanisms have been disclosed to provide combined barrier and sensing mechanisms. U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,672 shows a correlation of hertz frequency vibrations with intruding activity and then sounds an alarm. Rudimentary signal processing methods and the readily available deflatable nature of the physical barrier with sensing cables distinguish the same from the instant teachings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,916 issued to Tennis further defines the prior art landscape disclosing a modular highway safety lighting system. In contradiction to the instant teachings, this would not be able to prevent intrusion by a vehicle, let alone one traveling at high speeds or loaded with explosives.
Jackson's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,624,203 and 5,823,705 disclose net barriers for railroad crossings showing the signaling mechanism as a break in the cable makes this system not sensitive enough for the needs addressed according to the instant teachings, as no monitoring system provided real-time signaling and data as to a specific location.
Russell's U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,511 utilizes air-bag technology to absorb energy and to supplement other barrier systems. Likewise, there is a monitoring system for breaches however, unlike the instant teachings it is based upon air pressure.
The two most salient references Baker's U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,225 and Ousterhout's U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,188 serve to further underscore the longstanding needs for the present disclosure. Both are readily distinguished from the instant teachings in that the former patent shows a complex magnetic system for creating a barrier on a throughway and the latter a complex netting system for entrapping a moving vehicle, which seems to have less robust capabilities than the present disclosure, based upon the disclosure. Those having a modicum of skill in the art will readily conclude that there exists a compelling need for novel, enhanced security systems including crash-rated barriers to stop moving vehicles, while alerting those monitoring such systems as to any serious incursion attempts.
According to the teachings of the present disclosure, these and other challenges, which remain as longstanding needs in the post Sep. 11, 2001 world, are embraced and overcome as heretofore contemplated yet ostensively unaddressed.